Lost in Thoughts, All Alone
by Novarin
Summary: Corrin's been having nightmares again. And he refuses to tell his siblings what's the matter. Can they get it out of him, or will he be lost dealing with his problems alone, all over again? (Now free of unreadable code)


_Corrin's panicked heartbeat sped up even further. This... this was all wrong! It wasn't supposed to go like this! As he gazed around the room, he saw no way out of this. Behind him was his father, King Garon, sternly waiting for Corrin to carry out his orders. His beloved siblings watched, unable to do anything to support him. They were all in the same boat, but none of them even knew the truth. Garon, or whatever he had become had to be defeated at the right time, but this had to be done first. He had to pretend to be the perfect son of a warlord, to follow every order..._

 _To kill his older brother._

 _Garon watched expectantly, and yet, Corrin couldn't bring himself to so much as speak. Ryoma lay before him, unable to so much as stand higher than his knees from the fight just minutes before. This was all too much. How could he be expected to make this decision? Nothing before had even compared to this. He could not murder Ryoma in cold blood like this. And yet, to throw everything he had worked for away... What was a prince to do?_

 _However, Ryoma would apparently make that decision for him. Their eyes met one last time. Corrin's full of panic, Ryoma's full of quiet resolve._

 _"Enough of this!" Iago spouted. "Corrin is clearly a trai-"_

 _"Wait." Ryoma had finally spoken up. He managed to pull his head up to stare the swine of a man straight in the eyes._

 _Iago's eyes narrowed. "What is the meaning of this?"_

 _"I know what must be done, and I will not allow a Nohrian to do it for me." The samurai's voice was filled with steely confidence, even in the face of death. Corrin's eyes widened. His breath quickened. No... he couldn't mean... "I will end the war. My way."_

 _"R-Ryoma?" Corrin managed to force out. He could barely speak as the truth set into his own mind. This would end with blood, just as he feared. And there was nothing to be done about it._

 _A small smile came onto the Crown Prince of Hoshido's face as he looked at his younger brother. His expression carried nothing but love and trust, something Corrin had seen none of during their heated battle. This was the look he had missed dearly. To just see his older brother feel nothing but love for him was his dearest wish. And now, only to recieve that before the inevitable. Was this the fate that awaited beyond the path of Conquest? The path of a traitor prince._

 _"Thank you, Corrin. I finally understand. It's alright. Everything will be alright." No! It wouldn't be alright! There had to be another way, Corrin wanted to shout. But his voice had gone silent. "My beloved brother."_

 _"No! Ryoma, don't!" He didn't care anymore. He didn't care that Garon would find him a traitor, he didn't care that he was throwing away the peace of an entire nation. All he cared about was that his beloved family came out of this ordeal alive and well. And unfortunately, that future would not come to pass._

 _"I'm counting on you, Corrin. I will... trust you. Goodbye."_

 _Tears welled up in Corrin's eyes. He could not allow this to happen! Anything but this! But just as he tried to take a step forward, Ryoma had already unsheathed his sword. "I will not allow myself to fall into the hands of the enemy!" Ryoma declared bravely. Corrin could hear just the slightest twinge of regret in his brother's voice. "So I..."_

 _Time seemed to stop. Corrin pushed a hand forward as if to stop Ryoma. But it was too late. The deed was done. Ryoma plunged Rajinto into his stomach._

 _Lightning flashed everywhere. Ryoma's cry of pain rang in Corrin's ears. "Ful... fill a samurai's... final duty!"_

 _There was another flash of lightning, brighter than anything before, and Corrin's vision went dark._

 **"Ryoma!"**

Corrin's pain-filled cry suddenly woke him from his own slumber. His body and sheets were soaked in sweat, and cheeks stained with tears. Every breath came along with pained sobs. It was just a dream, just a dream, he reassured himself. And yet, it felt so real. So real that it couldn't have been the result of his own imagination. But things had never even come close to that reality. Although he had to fight nearly all of his friends and family, he had never seen Ryoma... Oh gods, the thought made him fall apart inside.

"Corrin?" The flickering light of a candle crept into the room as Corrin's door slowly opened. In peeked a head of wild, unkempt brown hair. Corrin's breathing quickened as Ryoma came in. _R-right, he's fine. Ryoma's alive. Everyone is alive..._ Corrin reassured himself. And yet, the image of his older brother stabbing himself with his own sword sent gut-wrenching pain throughout his entire body. He felt ill. Especially when he noticed that same sword in his brother's other hand.

"Corrin!" The white-haired prince was snapped out of his thoughts by Ryoma's shouts.

"Huh?"

Ryoma's expression relaxed. "You had me worried, brother. You wouldn't respond to anything I said for a moment there."

Corrin sighed. "Oh, yes. I apologize..." That sentence made Ryoma's expression grow with concern yet again.

"Are you alright? I heard shouting come from your room. I thought you might be in danger." Well, that explained the sword, though Corrin was fairly sure the high prince slept with it in close proximity in the first place.

"N-no, just a nightmare. Nothing to worry about." Corrin tried to present his most reassuring smile. Yes, everything was perfectly fine. It was just a nightmare, wasn't it?

Ryoma didn't exactly look convinced, but nevertheless, he turned to leave Corrin's room. "Alright, brother. If you say so. Goodnight." And with that, he closed the door and left. Corrin listened to his footsteps disappear down the hall to his own chambers. Meanwhile, he returned to his sleep, attempting to get comfortable yet again. "

 _It was nothing more than a dream... Just a bad dream..._


End file.
